PineCone Beginners Bluegrass Jam

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This month's featured tune is "The Clinch Mountain Backstep," an instrumental tune written by banjo legend Ralph Stanley in the key of A. The unusual thing about this tune is the “backstep” in the B part: an extra half-measure (one extra “Boom-chick”) played each time through the B part. Once you become familiar with this tune, it might be easier to hear/feel that extra beat than it is to count it out.

The PineCone Beginners Bluegrass Jam is open to all musicians, and it is specifically for those who are learning the basics of bluegrass music and playing with other musicians. It is open to participants of all ages and abilities. This is a great opportunity for participants to learn basic jam etiquette before jumping into a traditional jam. As always, jammers have the option of breaking off into smaller groups to practice what you've been learning.

Songs played at past learning jams include:

Little Cabin Home on the Hill

Little Maggie

Love Please Come Home

The Old Home Place

Tennessee Waltz

Devil's Dream

Wagon Wheel

Old Joe Clark

Nine Pound Hammer

My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains

In the Pines

Amazing Grace

Whiskey Before Breakfast

Ashokan Farewell

Salt Creek

Will the Circle Be Unbroken

Soldier's Joy

Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms

I'll Fly Away

Angeline the Baker

Blue Moon of Kentucky

Big Sandy River

Down the Road

St. Anne's Reel

Auld Lang Syne

Jingle Bells

Facilitator Jef Walter is a local musician who plays bass and guitar with Charles Pettee & the Iron Mountain Messengers and other groups; he also mentors The Carolina PineCones, a local youth bluegrass band.